Can I stop paying Sky and use my satellite receiver to get Freeview ?
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV Yes, but only "sort of".
Freeview is the name of the (BBC-backed) digital TV system that uses hilltop transmitters to rooftop aerials. It is run separately from the "Sky" satellite-to-dish service.
free-to-VIEW is a term for satellite channels that need a viewing card to watch, but not to collect a subscription. free-to-AIR channels are ones that can be received without needing a viewing card or subscription.
The free-to-AIR satelite service backed by the BBC and ITV is called Freesat. The free-to-VIEW service operated by Sky is called fSfS or Freesat from Sky.
As long as you have finished your first year, you can leave Sky when you want.
To do this just give Sky a call and tell them you don't want to subscribe any more.
If you stop subscribing you will be able to watch the hundred or so free-to-air channels listed on free channels list. This service is called Freesat from Sky (fSfS).
Some of the channels on the Freeview service are subscription only on satellite, specifically: 4Music, Challenge, Dave, Dave ja vu, Quest, VIVA and Yesterday . See these links to compare the TV channels on Freesat-from-Sky and Freeview, and to compare radio stations on Freeview and fSfS. Many homes have free satellite and Freeview to get the full range of channels.
You will still need to keep your Sky viewing card. If you stop subscribing on a Sky contract, you can keep using that card to watch 5USA, 5* and PICK TV, the so-called "free-to-view" channels. (All ITV channels are free-to-air).
It is not possible to plug an aerial into a Sky Digibox to receive Freeview channels because the boxes have not been designed this way.
You will continue to get the full Sky EPG listings; you just will not be able to watch subscription channels.
If you want to go for High Definition, HD, you can swap out your Sky box for a Freesat one very easily.
A card is not needed to watch BBC services, but it is needed to get the correct BBC ONE and BBC TWO regions on 101 and 102.
Another option is to disconnect your Sky Digibox altogether and Upgrade from Sky to Freesat - ukfree.tv. If you have an HD-Ready TV and a standard Sky box, this is a good option.
6:05 PM
I have a spare dish which I use with a "Comag" made box to pickup free to air English language broadcasts, of which there are many. The box however only lets me scan a dozen or so satellites.
How do I update the list of satellites which are stored in memory in the Comag unit, if this is possible?
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7:31 AM
I have a sky hd+ box and hoped to use it after the first years contract ran out without subscription free, but I never realised that sky turn off the pause, play, and record functions! It that true!!? So, in effect sky basically turn off my 500gb facility, is that so?
what is my best option, if, I want freesat with live pause and record working, and if swapping out my sky hd box is needed in order to get freesat rather than sky freesat, then would I loose any channels? If so, could you tell me which ones, off the top of your head?
Thank you!
I look forward to hearing back from you :)
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8:34 AM
Steve: What you have mentioned with regards to Sky having disabled your access to the recording / playback facilities on your Sky+HD has always been the case, but though you could have taken out another subscription (@ approx £10.25 per month) at the time of cancelling your main one purely for the purpose of retaining the recording / playback facilities you have just lost, (and "only" those)
However, most decide against this taking this route by purchasing a twin tuner Freesat HD recorder (PVR) which is 100% compatible with Sky dish systems, the Freesat box referred to offering exactly the same facilities as a Sky+HD box, but subscription free!
On the subject of channels, have a study at the undermentioned link, running down the list of channels in the left hand column that you normally view, then checking along to the right under the Freesat column.
By the way, as far as Freesat HD recorders are concerned, Humax brand devices are one the most reliable types around.
All of the free TV channels in the UK
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10:52 AM
AllanJ:
If you do not have a steerable dish, most people don't, then the only satellites it can pick up are those located at the orbital position at which it is aimed, the Astra satellites at 28.2 and 28.5 degrees east for example. Most other satellites are not visible unless you are lucky enough to have a 'wide view' dish (which are rare due to the expense) or have multiple LNBs mounted side-by-side on the end ot the boom. If you do have those you may 'see' other satellites.
One solution might be a second dish, possibly steerable, but in the UK that will require planning permission and that is rarely given for a second dish on the same house. Having it on a ground mount would still require planning consent.
So if you have a fixed dish, there is little point in extending the listed satellites receivable.
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6:22 PM
I'm a newbie here. I've just moved into a new home and found that there's no tv aerial socket but 2 sky cables in the lounge even though I can see a TV aerial as well as a sky dish on rooftop.
Anyway, I used an adapter to connect a sky cable into the TV aerial socket on my TV and searched for channels and found many channels including BBC one HD which I've been watching until a few days later when my TV couldn't find all BBC channels let alone HD channels. What's worse, the signal was so bad for those channels found that I couldn't continue watching any channels any longer.
As I read through all the comments on this site, I understand I should use Freesat box rather than adapting sky cable into tv aerial socket. Then, my question is, how come I managed to find and tune into those BBC HD channels without using any sat box in the first place? Any advice much appreciated.
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6:26 PM
kay: Because by luck you might say, the cable which you attached picked up some sort of signal. For reliable reception the cable should be connected to a terrestrial aerial.
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6:08 PM
Might be a daft question but am upgrading to sky+ Hd after old digibox broke down but I don't have an Hd television and all sky sports channels are Hd will I be able to watch them .I never gave it a thought when arranging this update I don't want to be paying more and not getting the channels I watch the most.
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6:36 PM
Paul GRANEY: Yes, as your HD sports channels will simply be displayed as SD images in exactly the same way as on the old Sky box.
It should though be pointed out that Sky+ HD boxes require twin feeds from the dish to enable the recording side of the box to operate correctly, was your old Sky box a Sky+ version?
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6:41 PM
Briantist: Yes! many thanks for pointing this out, apologies for aspersions relating to your site.
Although its rather puzzling as to how the colon appeared at the end of the URL, especially as the offending URL wasn't actually typed in but via "copy and paste" from address bar. Anyway, I will watch out for this potential problem in the future.
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8:25 AM
My contract with sky ends 27 March. I have a BT TV box which I have not connected yet. Should I disconnect the Sky box before connecting the BT box please. Also will I be able to record on my DVD player please.
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